Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 21
By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:
Participants of the “2017 - Year of Islamic Solidarity: Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue” international conference made a statement to heads of state, international organizations, and religious leaders.
According to the statement, the participants appreciate joint conferences on interreligious dialogue held in Azerbaijan, Finland, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Uzbekistan and Spain during 2017 within the "Year of Islamic Solidarity" announced by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who attaches great importance to protection and development of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, national, cultural and religious values and traditions. They also expressed appreciation for President Aliyev’s attention and support for these events.
The participants welcome the messages of the presidents of Turkey, Iran and Uzbekistan, as well as the Holy See, the Ecumenical Patriarch, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
The participants emphasized the importance of supporting cultural diversity, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, as well as the related cooperation at international level in an atmosphere of mutual respect and mutual understanding, regarding it as a guarantor of peace and security.
The participants also confirm the importance of continuing the Baku process, launched in 2008 with the goal of preventing global threats, as well as relevant initiatives, and intensifying efforts in this direction.
They express deep concern over increasing incidents of discrimination, xenophobia, terrorism, separatism, extremism, as well as national, religious and ethnic intolerance, the mass flow of refugees and internally displaced people, destruction of monuments and temples, as well as destruction of religious temples, cultural monuments and historical values by terrorist and separatist groups.
The participants stressed that Islam and all religions, having the universal values, make an indispensable contribution to the world civilization, culture and heritage, contribute to peace, justice and humanism.
They emphasize that Islamic solidarity plays an important role in the development of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, the promotion of universal human values in the world and their transfer to future generations.
They stress the importance of multiplying the efforts of the international community to end armed conflicts that impede sustainable development, tranquility, stability and security.
The participants urge the countries, the UN and other international and regional organizations, as well as religious leaders to continue to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation.
The participants urge the countries, the UN and other international and regional organizations to take effective measures to prevent politically motivated and purposefully incited xenophobia and Islamophobia, acts of terrorism, abuse of the name of Islam, and crimes against humanity.
They call on the international community to unite efforts through UN's central coordinating role in effective counteraction of threats and risks to international stability and security, as well as to prevent terrorism, aggressive separatism and extremism that engender conflict and flow of refugees, internally displaced people and migrants.
The participants reaffirm their commitment to the UN Charter and universally recognized international norms and principles, in particular the sovereign equality of countries, their territorial integrity and the inviolability of international borders.
They call for making contribution to a speedy, peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Stressing the unacceptability of the political processes taking place around Jerusalem, which is sacred for all religions, the participants call for exerting more efforts to find a peaceful solution to this issue based on respect for each religion and culture in accordance with international norms, principles and UN resolutions.
They also call on the international community to be vigilant about the status quo of religious communities in Jerusalem in accordance with international law.